BURNLEY want French centre-half Mohamed Simakan and are pushing boss Sean Dyche to make a £15million bid.
The Clarets scouts have backed an offer for the 20-year-old Strasbourg star, who has emerged as their favourite defensive target for the next window.
AC Milan tried to buy Simakan in the final days of the summer transfer window, while West Ham considered him as a £9m investment signing.
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Dyche had various disagreements with his staff and owner Mike Garlick that disrupted plans.
Disputes within Turf Moor were behind the failure to sign Watford defender Craig Dawson, 30, who joined the Hammers on loan.
Dyche did manage to hold onto James Tarkowski throughout the window though, despite bids of as much as £30m from West Ham and Leicester.
The Clarets knocked back all offers for the 27-year-old, who still has two years of his contract remaining.
Dyche was full of praise for the centre-back – who could now be joined at the club by Simakan, who has so far made 25 appearances for Strasbourg.
He said: “It’s tough for players. They have a lot of noise around them, even more so than ever, certainly way more than in my day, although I was no good!
“They’ve got media streams, social media, rumours, conjecture all going on all the time. So it’s more difficult for players now, I believe.
“But Tarky is a top pro. He always has been since we got him in here.
“People forget he had to wait a while to get into the team and he was out there every day doing it and he’s still doing it now.
“I’m sure he’s focused and committed to what’s going on here now. It’s probably helpful to close the window down to clear up any situations that are spinning around on the outside, the noise as I call it.”
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